BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND, August 11 — Hungary’s Bence Halász won the first big title of his career with a world-leading hammer throw of 276-5 (84.25), a national record. The silver medalist at the Paris Olympics here took the lead early with his opening 265-7 (80.96). He improved to 268-6 (81.84) in round 3 before hitting his big one in round 5, adding more than a meter to his PR and moving to No. 10 all-time.
Germany’s Merlin Hummel moved from 5th to silver with his fifth-round 266-9 (81.30), while Mykhaylo Kokhan got bronze at 260-9 (79.49). Amazingly, all 8 finalists fouled in the final round.
Calling it “the best performance of my life,” the 29-year-old Halász added, “I am shocked. I was not expecting this kind of result. When I released the hammer, I was thinking, ‘OK, this is a very good throw, maybe 83m.’”
No event was closer than the 100H. After semi runs of 12.60 for Pia Skrzyszowska and 12.69 for Nadine Visser, the two tangled hard in the final. The Pole got the better start and led for the first 6 hurdles, but she couldn’t escape Visser. At hurdle 7 Visser finally started to edge ahead — she led at the remaining barriers but on the run-in Skrzyszowska appeared to catch the Olympic 4th-placer. The photo finish shot would make great argument fodder for any armchair officials.
The two stood together in what felt like an interminable wait for the results — no early celebrating in this crowd. Finally, the board flashed 12.67s for each, with Visser getting the nod. She had prevailed by just 0.001, 12.668 to 12.669. France’s Laeticia Bapté won bronze in 12.73, just ahead of Ditaji Kambundji’s 12.75.
Visser was not happy with her race technically. “Waiting for the photofinish, I wasn’t really thinking about whether I would get the gold medal or not, I just felt this wasn’t the perfect race. In the end it doesn’t matter because it was enough.”
Few favorites at this championships seemed as solid as long jump world leader Miltiádis Tentóglou of Greece. He came in justifiably confident but got a scare from Simon Ehammer in a tough competition that faced serious headwinds.
The Swiss fouled his first jump while Tentóglou took a commanding lead with his 27-1¾ (8.27). Ehammer then made the most of his second attempt, stealing the lead with a 27-2½ (8.29). The Greek, having won the previous three golds, did not want to let this one slip away. His initial response, though, fell short at 26-10½ (8.19). In round 3 he popped another 27-1¾. But in round 4 he found his steps, hitting 27-8¼ (8.44), a mark that Ehammer has only bettered twice in his career, in conditions far better than those today.
Tentóglou sensed that would be enough and he passed his remaining jumps. Ehammer couldn’t improve and ended up fouling his final effort.
Explained the winner, “This was one of the hardest finals I have ever done. I am good in all conditions but this wind was so hard on us long jumpers. It was changing all the time and always negative. Ehammer is a very strong guy and he was kind of OK with it. But for the other jumpers and me, it was incredibly difficult. I had to try so hard for this 8.44m jump. It is nothing for me usually but today it was so hard to do. This was not just a regular 8.40m jump for me. It was big jump.”
The first running final had been a tactical women’s 5000 that was tailor-made for Italy’s Nadia Battocletti. Fourth in a pack of 9 at the bell, the defending champion made her move on the backstretch and easily romped away from the competition, winning by 12m after closing out her 15:37.84 with a 59.1 last lap.
“When we were getting to the last lap, I felt I needed to push harder because anything can change in the last lap,” said Battocletti, “You can lose or win it there, so it was a little tricky. When I was ahead, I was determined not to let go of the lead.”
The final race of the night, the men’s 100, saw Britain take the top 2 spots as Romell Glave, the bronze medalist in ’24, overcame fast-starting Jeremiah Azu in the final 15m, 10.09–10.16. Germany’s Owen Ansah got bronze as ’21 Olympic champ Lamont Marcell Jacobs continued his dismal career since then by jogging in after 60m for 7th in 12.26.
The first round of the women’s 800 went a bit faster than normal, with Keely Hodgkinson zipping to a 1:57.28 ahead of the 1:57.56 Italian Record for Eloisa Coiro. The men’s 400 semis also offered hints of a promising final, with France’s Muhammad Abdallah Kounta slicing his PR to 44.38 to lead the way ahead of Attila Molnár’s 44.60.
EURO CHAMPS DAY 2 MEDALISTS
Men’s Events
100(-0.4): 1. Romell Glave (GB) 10.09; 2. Jeremiah Azu (GB) 10.16; 3. Owen Ansah (Ger) 10.19.
LJ: 1. Miltiádis Tentóglou (Gre) 27-8¼ (8.44); 2. Simon Ehammer (Swi) 27-2½ (8.29); 3. Bozhidar Saraboyukov (Bul) 27-1¼ (8.26).
HT: 1. Bence Halász (Hun) 276-5 (84.25) NR (10, x W) (265-7, 255-10, 268-6, 264-8, 276-5, f) (80.96, 77.99, 81.84, 80.69, 84.25, f);
2. Merlin Hummel (Ger) 266-9 (81.30); 3. Mykhaylo Kokhan (Ukr) 260-9 (79.49).
Women’s Events
5000: 1. Nadia Battocletti (Ita) 15:37.84 (14.6, 28.1, 59.1); 2. Marta García (Spa) 15:39.98; 3. Micol Majori (Ita) 15:40.65.
100H(-0.8): 1. Nadine Visser (Neth) 12.67; 2. Pia Skrzyszowska (Pol) 12.67; 3. Laeticia Bapte (Fra) 12.73.
